Organization that connected Oklahoma producers, consumers is closing its doors

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OKLAHOMA CITY – An organization that worked to connect local Oklahoma producers with customers is now closing its doors.

On Tuesday, Oklahoma Food Cooperative announced that it was closed for business “effective immediately.”

The Oklahoma Food Cooperative is a member-owned organization that connects Oklahoma farmers and producers to customers through an online store. Customers were able to purchase local food and craft items, and then the items would be dropped off at a pickup site.

However, the group says it was forced to stop its service due to financial difficulties.

“Given the financial situation of Coop, it is our judgement that going with a November order runs the risk of depleting our cash, which we simply can’t do. We owe sales taxes, employment taxes on Adam’s salary, and have accounts payable. All of this adds up to more dollars than the Coop has on hand, although we do have enough to pay the sales and employment taxes. So therefore we will not have a November order because it possibly could deplete our cash and if that happens, we would not be able to pay our producers. Through all the ups and downs of the past 15 years, we have always paid the producers on time, and in full, and we don’t want to break that record here in our last few days,” the group posted on Facebook.

“As soon as our producers have given us information about where they will be selling their products in the future, we will pass that info on. In the meantime, the website remains up and running, and you can find the contact info for all of our producers there. Please feel free to contact them directly concerning how you can continue to buy their great products going into the future,” it added.

Many of the producers say they will still be selling items at local farmer’s markets throughout the state.